Secrets from the Set of Cheers
We want to go to a place that’s a familiar dive bar and mostly everyone knows our name. Since those are harder and harder to come by these days, we’re opting to turn to one of our favorite sitcoms: Cheers. Full of unforgettable characters, striking plots, and the backstory for another great show, Ted Danson and his friends’ careers ended up being shaped by this sudsy show that premiered in the 80s and lasted until the next decade. While so many of the plots and stories are memorable, there were a LOT of secrets going on behind the scenes and cameras. From wild escapades to unfortunate misadventures with actual alcoholism, the secrets from Cheers could almost be their own twisted version of a show that never left us with a hangover, just a hunger for more.
They Kept It All In The Family
One of the great things about live-action shows is that they have to get creative with their voice actors. You can’t just disguise yourself and play a different character off-screen all the time. Sometimes, you need to incorporate some extras that have some sort of real-world chemistry with the main cast and crew. Everyone’s favorite barfly, Norm, is no different. This guy has appeared in so many episodes we basically know everything this is to know about the dude!
One of the few mysteries still left about him is who his wife is. Well, don’t worry, because that’s no secret either! Whenever Norm’s wife is heard off-camera, he’s still listening to.an all-too-familiar voice. The actor playing his wife’s voice in the show is also his wife outside of the show!
The Doctor Was In Deep
In case anyone was wondering, most actors aren’t really drinking and smoking when filming. A lot of the time, that’s just Hollywood magic. Besides, with all the takes some scenes require, people would be plastered if they had to drink every time! It worked the same on Cheers. Despite taking place in a bar, mostly everyone was stone sober when the camera was on.
Mostly everyone. Dr. Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammer, was dealing with a lot during Cheers. His descent into alcoholism ended up causing some big problems during the show’s final season. It wasn’t until he was already filming Frasier did he overcome the illness!
It Wouldn’t Have Been The Same
Cheers wasn’t originally supposed to end when it did. There were still a lot of stories planned! Things ended up coming to a halt after Ted Danson decided to leave the show to pursue other interests. This was a gut-punch to the show. In an effort to save things, producers approached Woody Harrelson with an offer. What if his character, also named Woody, inherited the bar?
He’d be the new owner, everyone would still have jobs, and the show would be saved! Right? Wrong. The show would be missing a key element if that happened: Ted Danson. Harrelson knew it, the fans knew it, and so did the show’s creators.Harrelson turned it down and went on to make his own fame and (an even bigger) fortune elsewhere.
Time, and Hair, Marches On
Ted Danson has done some incredible and important work in Hollywood. The guy has been in quite a number of monumental projects. Long before he went to The Good Place, Danson was everyone’s favorite barman Sam Malone. The strong-jawed and hunky character was a straight-talker that knew how to keep it together when he needed to. He even had a luscious head of hair that just wouldn’t quit. Plus, he was full of lies!
At least, his hair was. Like many men, Danson developed a bald spot after reaching a certain age. Instead of having his character just age gracefully, production had other ideas. They glued a hairpiece to his head and forever locked in Malone’s glorious head of hair until the glue fell off at the end of the series!
We Almost Missed A Huge Cliff!
It’s hard to imagine a dive bar without some of the tried and true stereotypes hanging around. The bar “know-it-all” is usually a been-there-done-that kind of guy that has one too many stories for people’s comfort. But, he also has a lot of sage wisdom hidden under those many layers of entertainment and nonsense. Plus, when they’re not hammered, they can be pretty interesting guys and gals.
Now, imagine that Cheers didn’t have that character. It’s impossible to imagine the show without Cliff! However, he almost didn’t exist! John Ratzenberger originally auditioned for Norm. When he didn’t get the part, he came up with Cliff on the spot and got the show to put him in! Now that’s thinking on your feet!
A Bar With A Message
Drinking and driving is never. We don’t care if you’ve only had one beer or a shot. As soon as alcohol enters your system, give your keys to a friend or the bartender. Your safety is more important than your judgment. With motor vehicle accidents always at an all-time high, everyone in positions of power need to do something to try and prevent people from driving under the influence. When Cheers was on-air, they knew this.
The show made it a point to never show someone drunk as a skunk leaving the bar! They also made sure to never show anyone driving after having a drink! For all the drama, sometimes a good message about sobriety can come from everyone’s favorite little dive-bar.
Almost On The Cutting Edge
The AIDS Crisis of the 80s and 90s ravaged not just America but the world at large. Not only did it decimate certain communities, it also destroyed families and entire towns. The poor reception and handling of the discovery of AIDS and HIV in people also contributed to the devastation. With a bit more knowledge and understanding, things may have turned out differently. Hollywood saw the writing on the wall and even had some hit shows introducing dealing with HIV into their seasons.
Unfortunately, due to the writer’s strike at the time, a lot of those episodes never made it to air. On Cheers, there were plans for one of Sam’s ex-girlfriends to reveal she was HIV-positive. However, we’ll never know what the outcome was supposed to be since the episode never made it to air.
Everyone DID Know Everyone’s Name
It’s no secret that in Hollywood, it’s not what you do, it’s who you know. Having the right connections, or even the right name, can open countless doors for you. Of course, it helps if you’re talented. However, take what you can get, right? This isn’t some new concept. Back when Cheers was producing new episodes, a whole family of actors and showbiz people were involved in making it a success.
Rhea Perlman wasn’t just a talented and sassy actor. Her whole family was full of talent! Her sister was a writer and a producer for a while on the set! Plus, Perlman’s father played Phil on the show!
John Was The Cast’s MVP
The passing of Nicholas Colasanto, AKA Coach Ernie, dealt quite a blow to Hollywood. It also greatly affected the cast of Cheers. Not only had an amazing director and star passed away, but a close friend and colleague to nearly everyone connected to the show. Unfortunately, you can’t stop feeding the beast. NBC refused to let the entire cast attend Colasanto’s funeral due to the tight filming schedule.
In everyone’s place, John Ratzenberger went to represent everyone. While he attended Coach’s funeral out of state, everyone on set held their own service for him back in Rhode Island. We’re pretty sure they all raised a glass to him when everyone got back together.
Stick Those Complaints in the Can!
If you’ve ever seen or listened to a sitcom, then you’ve probably heard a familiar chuckle or two. Sitcoms have been using traditional laugh tracks for decades! However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few authentic laughs and bellows thrown in for good measure. Like many classic shows, Cheers was actually filmed in front of a live studio audience!
If things had to be amplified or edited later, then so be it. However, even with the disclaimer, and proof of real people in the seats, not everyone believed it was so. The show regularly fielded complaints from irritated viewers that claimed there wasn’t a single real or authentic laugh present!
Why Did One Get More Airtime?
While some television shows can happen in a vacuum, that doesn’t mean time stands still. Despite a character never aging or some scenarios never playing out, the real world isn’t like that. Actors get pregnant, experience trauma, have losses and new beginnings, etc. Many shows just have to find a way to work around those events. When both Shelley Long and Rhea Perlman got pregnant close to one-another, some big changes had to be made to the show.
Unfortunately, those changes weren’t exactly equal. In the show, Diane ended up becoming pregnant! Carla on the other hand, didn’t. Viewers were just treated to close-up or obstructed shots of Perlman for an entire season until she had her baby in real life!
A Toast, To Present Friends
While it may be an actor’s dream to star in the movies, some end up making a bigger splash on a smaller screen. Acclaimed, celebrated, and revered actor Shelly Long is one such modern thespian. Despite being a superstar on Cheers, Long never intended to stay for as long as she did on the show.
Her appearance as Diane was supposed to be a stepping stone to a bigger career as a film actress! While she definitely made her mark in film, and won some huge awards. Long kept returning to TV. Part of that reason probably had to do with the fact that she stayed with Cheers for five seasons instead of one!
The Bar Almost Closed Early
While it’s considered a classic today, back when it was running Cheers almost didn’t last through its first season. The show frequently struggled with finding its core audience. With a variety of reasons to do so, NBC almost pulled the plug! Thankfully, a guardian angel came and saved the show, and a lot of actors’ jobs, through sheer belief in the program.
Then President of the network, Brandon Tertikoff, refused to let the show be canceled. Before leaving to work for the show’s production company, Paramount, he made sure Cheers had a future! By the time he joined Paramount, the show had found its footing and a faithful following of fans! Good thing the last call didn’t arrive early.
Why Add The Extra Details?
What’s the most iconic location in Cheers? That’s right, the bar. That’s a no-brainer of a question. If your show is set in a bar, where would the majority of your characters spend their time? Outside? Absolutely not. For some reason, during the planning stages of the show, Cheers was almost set in a bar and somewhere else at the same time.
The original idea was to have the show set in a hotel bar. Even though the hotel would rarely be used, the show’s creators almost went with the idea. When they realized a bar can stand on its own as a set, they had a change of heart.
Too Silly To Tip One Back
Lucille Ball will always be a Hollywood legend. She was an incredibly funny actor with a serious head for business. Even after “I Love Lucy” was long over, Ball was still wheeling and dealing in Hollywood. When Cheers was beginning to pick up steam, Ball even approached the creators about being a recurring character. Her idea was to be Diane’s mother!
While everyone seemed on board, Ball eventually backed out of the deal. She felt that it would have been tough for the fans to reconcile seeing her play anyone that wasn’t already connected to her previous characters. The fear was possibly also due to fans not being able to take her that seriously. It’s a shame because Ball had the range to do nearly anything!
A Lovely Tribute To Family
Cast regular and fan-favorite Norm always had something either profound or funny to say. Plus, his name was so common that it made sense how people could relate to him. We all have a Norm in our lives! Of course, the character is much deeper than that. Fun fact: Norm’s first name isn’t Norm or even Norman! The “Norm” name everyone calls him happens to be his middle-name! His first name is actually Hillary.
While there are plenty of guys named “Hillary”, “Sue”, “Ashley,” etc., it stood out a bit when people discovered this. However, this was purposeful. Norm’s actor had a daughter in the real world named Hillary! This was just a way to pay tribute and include her in the show somehow.
No More Double-Spotlight Moments
One of the magical appeals of Cheers is that each character is so complex and interesting that they could have their own show. That’s basically how Frasier came about! While many of the cast got their moments to shine, things didn’t really pick up until after Shelley Long left the show. Wait, what?
Yep! While there wasn’t any tension or problems during filming, the writers had a hard time including the rest of the cast when Long was around due to her character. The seasons with Long were basically the “Sam and Diane Show”. After her departure, they found it easier to feature more of the ensemble in stories.
One Door Closes Another Opens
Shelley Long’s departure from Cheers was surprising. Fans and cast members weren’t sure what would happen to the show once she had left. However, instead of the show sinking, it ended up rising to new heights! To fill the void from Diane’s departure, other characters were able to get some more screen time.
This helped catapult Kirstie Alley’s character, Rebecca, to a whole new level of popularity. People on the show also found Alley easier to work with. While there were never any huge blow-ups, people would report that Long’s way of acting and conducting business was just a bit too intense for their liking,
The Doctor Almost Wasn’t In
You can’t have Frasier without Dr. Frasier Crane. You also can’t have Cheers without Dr. Frasier Crane. The two go hand-in-hand. Plus, what’s Frasier or Cheers without Kelsey Grammer? Grammer’s transformation into the troubled and oftentimes grumpy therapist was a masterclass in acting. It almost never came to be. Grammer wasn’t the creator’s first choice for the role. In fact, John Lithgow was originally intended to play the part!
While that would have been fascinating, we’re kind of glad Lithgow turned down the role. Apparently, he wanted to focus more on his film career. Since he didn’t want to juggle both Cheers and the movies he was making, Grammer was offered the role instead!
An Almost Complete Spiritual Successor
The Cheers universe is a bit bigger than people imagine. After Frasier took off, it became almost a sequel to the original show. While the focus was on Dr. Frasier Crane, a lot of Cheers regulars made appearances in different stories over the seasons. In fact, nearly the entire cast ended up on the show at some point! All but one familiar face had a moment to shine in the spin-off.
Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca, was noticeably absent from the multi-season reunion. In interviews, she said it was because of Dr. Crane’s job (on the show). Her belief in Scientology caused a problem for her morally to appear in any production that promoted psychiatry, even if it was all made up.
He’s Got His High Waters On
Don’t you hate it when the bottoms of your pants get wet? It’s just an icky feeling. IF that’s somehow a frequent problem for you, look into getting high waters! These types of pants are cut a bit higher than most to prevent that very issue. Also, they can be a fun and stylish way to show off your super cool socks. Don’t believe us? Just ask John Ratzenberger!
His character on Cheers, Cliff, has an unforgettable style. Most people immediately notice his white socks poking out of every outfit! This was completely intentional. The show’s costume department purposefully hiked up Cliff’s pants for his appearances. This was to help make the socks not only noticeable, but a signature part of Cliff’s look throughout the seasons.
Times Were Different Back Then
Sexual harassment and workplace assault are no laughing matter. There are so many laws in place to protect people at work that you’d think it would deter any would-be harassers from attempting anything to jeopardize their careers. Back in the 80s and 90s, this wasn’t the case. According to Kirstie Alley, the cast and crew of Cheers were wild when the cameras weren’t rolling.
From random gropings and make-out sessions to being photographed naked (repeatedly), there was no shortage of lewd. “fun” being had behind the scenes. The sexual harassment was rampant but nobody seemed to stop it. According to Alley, everyone who took part had a good time (for some weird reason).
How Could You Not Crush On Him?
Woody Harrelson is a pretty interesting guy. He’s an accomplished actor, extremely funny, and is pretty easy on the eyes too! Sure, he may have some weird and unscripted moments in his life, but who hasn’t? Back when we played Woody on Cheers, he was an even bigger heartthrob! Yes, we know, playing someone with your real name is odd. However, look past that at what’s really important here: the shallow attraction to his face.
His eventual show-wife, Kelly, even admitted in an interview that some of the chemistry between their characters wasn’t entirely fake! Jackie Swanson stated that she had a pretty big crush on the young actor when they were working together. She also wasn’t the only one! Is there a different universe where Woody and Sam get together? We’re asking for a friend…or a link to the fanfic.
Kirstie Alley Really Saved The Day!
Shelley Long’s abrupt exit from Cheers left a hole in a lot of people’s hearts. It also caused a huge upset on the set! People, from actors to crew, had no idea what was going to happen to the show. Diane played such a pivotal role for some many seasons that a lot of the show was wrapped around her and Sam. This dark time wasn’t fun for anyone. Then, like a beacon in the darkness, Kirstie Alley appeared.
The talented and jubilant actor knew a thing or two about being a joy. From her very first moment on the lot, she lifted everyone’s spirits! It was almost like destiny that she had arrived to save Cheers and lift up the cast from their depression! She would go on to play a fan-favorite character and leave her own lasting legacy on the show.
It’s Called Acting, Look It Up
It can be hard to imagine and remember that some of our favorite TV and movie characters aren’t real. No matter the emotional connection we make with them, these are fictional beings in a fictional world that have no true background that’s based in reality. With all that said, it’s also bizarre to think that the real people playing them don’t have some similarities with their roles. Ted Danson is a phenomenal actor. He can convince us he’s a bartender, or a demon, or whatever role he’s given.
Back when he was cast to play Sam on Cheers, he had to study up on a few things. Prior to taking up the role, he had no idea what working in a bar was like. He didn’t really spend a lot of time in one. He also had never attended any sort of sporting event that Sam would end up talking about!
Gossip Doesn’t End At High School
If school taught us anything, it’s that most gossip is garbage and we’re all better off not listening to it. Things get passed between people so often and quickly that messages get mixed up and lies start feeling like truths. This definitely happened once or twice on the set of Cheers. It’s not a secret that Kelsey Grammer was going through his own personal battles during the show.
However, he may have made things worse for himself by listening to rumors circulating that someone was trying to get him fired from the show. Grammer, at the time, thought that Shelley Long was gunning to get him canned for some reason or another! Years later, it turned out the rumors weren’t true and that Long was hurt by the very insinuation!
Not All Sports Bodies Are Equal
TV shows can transform radically from their initial concept to the filming of the first episode. Back when it was still being tossed around as an idea, Cheers wasn’t even set in Boston! The original premise had the bar located in California. Sam was still the bartender, but he was an ex-football star instead of a former baseball player. After Ted Danson secured the role of the lead character, a few creative changes were made.
Sam’s backstory ended up with him being an ex-baseball star (given Danson’s body type). To fit the narrative even better, the entire location was changed from the West Coast to Massachusetts. That way, the show could play off of the popularity of the Red Sox (and be more believable that Sam used to play ball).
Could Sam Have Been Samantha?
Before Sam was in the picture, or anything else for that matter, the backstory for Cheers was pretty different. In the original concept, there was no former sports star trying out a new business venture. Instead, Sam didn’t exist in any sort of managerial position! In the first few drafts of the show, the bar wasn’t even independently owned.
The main character was set to be a corporate businesswoman. She wasn’t even the owner! The company she worked for held the lease and deed to the business and she was just overseeing the management of the place and the staff! How different would the show have been with this concept?
The Cheers Multiverse is Wild
Actors can radically change the direction a show is headed long before they step foot in front of a camera. In the original script, Shelley Long’s character was supposed to be a corporate bigwig that managed the bar. Sam, instead of being one of the stars, was just going to be a side character and employee for Diane to boss around!
That all changed when the two auditioned and began to interact with each other. Their chemistry and the way they played off each other caused the show’s creators to rethink the entire direction of the program! If things had been slightly different, maybe Long would have stayed on for the entire run of the show if it had all been about her.
Coach Was Working Through His Steps
Recovering from any addiction can be a long and frustrating road. Of course, the eventual healthier outcome is definitely worth it. However, during the journey there, you need to be mindful to distance yourself from whatever it is you’re trying to get rid of in your life. Nicholas “Coach” Colasanto didn’t really have that luxury when he was filming Cheers.
The lovable character may have enjoyed a pint or two at the bar, but the actor was very far removed from the sauce. Colasanto was a recovering alcoholic during his time on the show. He even regularly attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings whenever he could, despite the premise of the show revolving around the local watering hole!